Noir Script 3/18/09 (Current Draft)

FADE IN:
PROLOGUE
EXT. DOWNTOWN - NIGHT
THROUGH A TELEPHOTO LENS:
Two MEN (we'll call them MANDELBAUM and MANFRED) meet in the
shadow of the Library Tower. One hands the other a CD.
ACROSS THE STREET:
SHOOTER watches through his camera lens. He speaks into his
cell phone headset.
SHOOTER
Got 'em. What's on this List,
anyway?
ARCHIE (O.S.)
Does it matter?
SHOOTER
(smirks)
Not even a little bit.
As the men part ways, he sets the camera down. Time to act.
INT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT
Mandelbaum approaches his car, with a spring in his step and
a jaunty tune whistling across his lips.
UNDER THE CAR,
SHOOTER waits, knife ready. He listens as Mandelbaum unlocks
his car door, then slices Mandelbaum's ankle.
Shooter is already rolling out from under as Mandelbaum
falls. He covers Mandelbaum's mouth with a gloved hand and
stabs him in the neck.
Shooter hoists the body up and drops him into the driver's
seat. After positioning him properly, he shuts the door.
He flips open his phone and sends a text: "Job 1 complete.
Having fun, yet?"
Shooter heads for the stairs. His phone vibrates, and he
flips it open: "Nah. Let's skip the second part and pick up
a pizza." Shooter chuckles.
EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Manfred sits on a ledge, holding a lighter under the disc.
He clicks it off, admiring the burnt side of the CD.
SHOOTER (O.C.)
Hand over the disc.
Manfred looks over at SHOOTER, across the rooftop, pistol
aimed squarely at him.
MANFRED
Sure.
He tosses it like a frisbee. Shooter takes a look at the
burned side, then drops it.
SHOOTER
Where's the List, smartass?
MANFRED
Well, jeez, be more specific next
time. It's not here.
SHOOTER
Okay, you know, I don't really care
where it is.
Shooter cocks his pistol.
MANFRED
Whoa, whoa, let's not overreact.
SHOOTER
My boss told me, "Stop Manfred from
distributing the List." Now, if
you were to come down with a sudden
case of dead, you wouldn't be able
to distribute it, right? Here's
your choices: tell me where the
List is, or I kill you.
MOOK (O.C.)
...And then the girl dies, too.
Manfred's thug steps out of the shadows, pushing a woman
(ANGEL) in front of him. Her hands are bound behind her, and
her mouth is duct taped shut.
Angel and Shooter's eyes meet.
CHRIS NOLAN
STYLE, MUTED
FLASH BACKS:
EXT. PARK - DAY
Angel and Shooter are sitting on a picnic blanket. He has a
deck of cards, which he fans out. Studying them closely, he
draws one and holds it up for her. Angel smiles brightly.
INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Angel and Shooter are crouched behind some crates.
Shooter fires a few rounds over the top, until he's empty.
He pops the clip, then realizes he doesn't have a spare.
Angel tosses him one. As he locks it into place, a GOON
comes around the corner, drawing a bead on Shooter's head.
BLAM BLAM BLAM!
The Goon falls. Shooter looks over at Angel, with her
smoking gun. She smiles and tips him a wink.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Angel climbs out of Shooter's bed, offering a nice view of
her bare back. She looks over her shoulder, tips him another
wink.
BACK TO:
EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT
Manfred regards Shooter disdainfully.
MANFRED
Did you really think I wasn't
expecting you two?
Shooter looks uncertainly from Angel to Manfred.
MANFRED (CONT'D)
Here is the deal. I have no
interest in dealing with two dead
spooks. It's a lot of paperwork,
you know? Instead, we all walk
away, and have ourselves another
confrontation in a month or two,
like we always do.
Shooter looks back to Angel. Their eyes meet. Then, she
closes both eyes. He has a job to do.
SHOOTER
(to Manfred)
Sorry, not this time.
He SHOOTS, blowing off the back of Manfred's head.
The Mook FIRES the gun at Angel's back.
She goes down, and Shooter blows the Mook away.
Shooter runs over to Angel, dropping to his knees. Her chest
is a gory mess. Panicky, he tries to staunch the flow of
blood, but it does no good.
As SIRENS approach, their eyes meet-- it's too late for her,
and getting himself arrested won't do anyone any good. She
lets him go.
Reluctantly, Shooter rises. He flees the bloody scene,
unseen by anyone who will be alive in the next ten minutes.
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
Shooter leans against the brick wall, collecting himself. He
dials.
SHOOTER
Both jobs are complete. I'm done.
ARCHIE
What do yo-
Shooter hangs up. He closes his eyes.
FLASH: Angel, smiling, pretty as a sunrise, cocks a pistol,
turns, and fires.
IN THE ALLEY: Shooter loses it. He throws his phone against
the wall. It rebounds, he kicks it, but it's not enough. He
slams his fists into the wall, beating them bloody.
FADE OUT.
ACT OF CONTRITION
SIX MONTHS LATER...
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
Shooter sleeps in his clothes from the night before, a three
quarters empty bottle of gin still in his hand. He hasn't
shaved in days, and probably hasn't showered, either.
In the bed next to him, Angel is NOT.
His cell phone sits next to a photo of Shooter and Angel,
smiling on the beach. It (the phone) VIBRATES.
He grabs it and looks at the message with one half-closed
eye: "Got a job for you."
He hits reply and starts typing, "I said I'm done." Thinking
better of it, he erases the message and types: "Fuck off."
He hits send and drops the phone.
FADE OUT.
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Shooter fans out a deck of cards on his kitchen table. He
picks a card, looks at it, then replaces it. He shuffles the
deck, and produces the same card, now on top. He looks
around, and finds no one to be impressed.
FWTWP.
Hearing the sound, Shooter goes to his front door; a manila
envelope has been slid under it.
Shooter walks it over to his desk. He pulls out his paper
shredder and shreds the still-sealed envelope.
He takes the basket and carries it to the window. He opens
the window and dumps the confetti outside.
FADE OUT.
INT. APARTMENT - DAY
Shooter comes in carrying two sacks of groceries. One is
full of frozen dinners, which he unloads into the freezer.
The other is full of booze, which he sets out on the counter.
ARCHIE (O.C.)
Now, wadda ya need all those for?
Shooter turns to ARCHIE, the nondescript man of indeterminate
age sitting on his couch. He continues unloading bottles.
SHOOTER
I'm having guests over. You're the
first to arrive. How gauche.
ARCHIE
Funny. 'Bout as funny as this gag.
He tosses over an eight by ten of Shooter emptying his
shredder basket. Shooter smiles ruefully.
SHOOTER
Yeah, that was pretty funny.
ARCHIE
You created a lot of work for us.
We don't make copies of those.
SHOOTER
I know. I said it was funny.
ARCHIE
I have a job for you.
SHOOTER
Got one. I'm opening at the Laugh
Factory every Thursday.
ARCHIE
It's not your comedic skills we're
interested in.
SHOOTER
Then I'm not interested.
ARCHIE
You'll be interested in this.
He pulls another photo from his file and hands it over. It's
the Mook who shot Angel. Shooter regards Archie coolly.
SHOOTER
You're into archival photos, now?
ARCHIE
That was taken three days ago.
Check the date stamp.
SHOOTER
The fake date stamp. If this were
real, he'd be dead already.
ARCHIE
You're right.
He tosses over another photo, this one of the Mook lying on
the ground, a bloody halo spreading around his head.
SHOOTER
Good. What do you want from me,
then? Congratulations?
ARCHIE
That'd be great, if we did it. But
we didn't.
SHOOTER
Who did?
ARCHIE
That's why we need you.
BALANCING ACT
INT. APARTMENT - DAY
Shooter sits at his desk, going through the file Archie gave
him. As he flips through more surveillance shots of the
Mook, we hear the following conversation--
SHOOTER (V.O.)
I'm a shooter. I don't find guys,
I kill them. Why not have your
people find him?
ARCHIE (V.O.)
Because they're my people. We
knew Manfred only had half the
List, so when you killed him, we
closed his file.
Shooter comes to a page of known acquaintances and hangouts.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
But with this mope still breathing
three days ago, you think he's
found the other half?
ARCHIE (V.O.)
Unofficially, yes. Officially,
he's just another dead mook on the
east side.
His finger settles on a particular name-- Sarah Carson.
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - EVENING
BUSINESS PEOPLE pour out of the building, CARSON among them.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
We've known each other a long time,
haven't we, Archie?
ARCHIE (V.O.)
Sure have. Remember that time in
Auckland?
As the crowd thins, Shooter passes Carson, heading in the
opposite direction.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
(chuckles)
Yeah. But I'm not doing this one
for you.
ARCHIE (V.O.)
I know.
Shooter turns and hurries to catch up with Carson. He pulls
a cell phone from his pocket.
SHOOTER
Sir? Sir!
Carson turns to him, curious.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
I think you dropped your phone.
Carson checks her purse.
CARSON
No, that's not mine. Thanks,
though.
Carson smiles and goes on her merry way.
Shooter drops his veneer of friendliness. He ducks into an
alley, ditching his jacket and pulling on a baseball cap.
AROUND THE CORNER--
Carson walks along, unaware of Shooter coming around the
corner.
Shooter bumps into her.
SHOOTER
Watch it.
CARSON
Hey, you watch it!
But Shooter is already heading down into the subway. Carson,
irked, shakes her head and keeps going.
INT. SUBWAY - EVENING
Shooter sits down, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from his
pocket. He compares the cell phone's address book with the
Archie's file. He starts crossing names off...
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
Shooter waits patiently, shuffling and reshuffling his deck.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
She was a believer, Archie. She
knew she'd die on the job. She
wanted it that way.
The front door of the house opens, catching Shooter's
attention. FLINT emerges, clad in running gear.
He takes off down the sidewalk. Shooter watches him go, then
sets his deck down.
EXT. JOGGING PATH - LATER
Flint follows the path.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
She thought it was worth dying for.
SHOOTER is hiding behind a tree. He takes out Carson's cell
and dials a number.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
I'm going to make sure she's right.
Flint checks the caller ID. Taking the call, he doesn't
notice Shooter stepping out ahead of him.
FLINT
Carson?
Shooter POPS Flint in the jaw, sending him flying.
Shooter pounces on him, kneeling on his chest. Flint gasps.
SHOOTER
Where's the List?
FLINT
I... can't... bruh- bruh-
SHOOTER
Can't breathe?
He pinches Flint's bloody nose shut and covers his mouth.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
How 'bout now?
Flint flops around, but he has no leverage. Finally, Shooter
lets go. Flint gulps air.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
Where's the List?
FLINT
Don't... know...
SHOOTER
Who does?
FLINT
Don't.... D-don't know...
Shooter cuts off his mouth and nose again. He holds it for a
long, long time.
When Flint's eyes roll back in his head, Shooter lets go.
SHOOTER
Who?
Flint manages only a wheezy exhalation. Shooter slaps him.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
A name!
Flint whispers inaudibly. Shooter leans in close to hear...
And Flint BITES him!
Shooter recoils, grasping his bloody ear. Flint bucks,
knocking Shooter off. He tries to run, but Shooter grabs the
tail of his T-shirt and swings him into the tree.
Shooter rises, and looks down at the unconscious Flint. He
kicks him, just to be sure. Flint doesn't move.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
Damn it.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Shooter's car is parked at the curb. Flint sits shotgun,
seemingly asleep, except for his bloody temple.
INT. HOUSE - DAY
Shooter has turned the place inside out-- furniture
overturned, clothes strewn about, drawers yanked out.
SHOOTER (V.O.)
It used to be fun, Archie. Me and
her, we had fun.
Shooter is at the computer, searching through files. Buried
deep in a system folder, he finds Master.txt.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
Pretending to be other people,
pulling cons, playing spy games.
It was fun.
It's a huge file, with names, dates, and coordinates. He
makes a few key strokes, then grabs a blank CD off the shelf.
He sticks the CD in, drags the file over, and hits burn.
Just as the CD tray ejects, a car door SLAMS. Shooter looks
over. Shit. He grabs the CD and pockets it.
He creeps over to the front window and peeks outside--
ANOTHER CAR is parked in the driveway. Shit shit.
SHOOTER (CONT'D)
It's not fun anymore.
He sneaks over to the kitchen, starts pulling out drawers,
looking for a knife, a fork, any fucking thi-
BLAM!
Shooter hits the tile clutching his chest. He looks up at--
A WOMAN
approaching with her smoking gun still on him.
Shooter's eyes go wide. ANGEL.
She keeps her gun trained on him, but she's not afraid. She
reaches into his pocket and removes the CD.
She twirls it on her finger as she turns and walks away.
She stops, turns to him...
And winks.
ACT OF GOD
INT. KITCHEN - LATER
A trail of blood leads from the kitchen back to the office.
INT. APARTMENT - DAY (FLASHBACK)
Shooter, Archie, and Angel play poker on the table. Shooter
has a large pile of chips.
Archie grabs Shooter's arm, and pulls an ace from his sleeve.
They all laugh.
INT. HOUSE - DAY
Shooter drags himself to the computer. He starts
unplugging...
INT. APARTMENT - DAY (FLASHBACK)
Angel writhes on the couch, bleeding from the stomach.
Archie tries to patch her up, while Shooter looks on
helplessly, wiping sweat from her forehead.
INT. CAR - DAY
Shooter struggles to pull the door open while carrying the
computer. He spills it onto Flint's lap as he flops into the
driver seat.
Flint begins to struggle awake, until Shooter PUNCHES him,
bloodying his nose again.
Shooter fumbles with the keys, trying to get them in the
slot. He's losing blood, woozy, and his vision is going
soft.
IN HIS REARVIEW MIRROR:
Archie and Angel laugh and laugh.
The car STARTS. Shooter pulls away from the curb.
BLACK.
EXT. STREET - DAY
ARCHIE
-awake?
SHOOTER
Wuh?
Shooter realizes he's lying on the pavement. Half of him,
anyway; his legs are still in the car, which is,
miraculously, parked on the side of the road.
ARCHIE
Can you make it inside?
SHOOTER
I think-
INT. ARCHIE'S PLACE - LATER
SHOOTER
-so?
ARCHIE
What?
Shooter looks around. He's on Archie's couch, shirtless, his
wounds covered with makeshift bandages. He closes his eyes.
SHOOTER
(it's hard to speak)
How long?
ARCHIE
Not as long as that time in
Auckland. Six hours, maybe.
SHOOTER
No. How long have you known?
Archie doesn't want to say, but he knows he has to.
ARCHIE
We got surveillance footage of her
three months ago. We suspected
maybe a month before that.
Archie grabs his laptop, calls up a video and shows Shooter--
A woman walks up and shoots a man in the back of the head.
We only see her from behind, it's obviously ANGEL.
ARCHIE (CONT'D)
That was Drost she killed.
SHOOTER
How... How did she-?
ARCHIE
That night was a bad one for Jane
Does. Seven gunshot wounds in the
area, five didn't survive. Based
on your report, we didn't think we
needed to risk showing our faces to
identify her body.
Shooter tries to rise, grimaces in pain, then collapses.
SHOOTER
How bad is it?
ARCHIE
Through and through, didn't hit any
bones or major organs. Nothing a
tube of superglue and some gauze
couldn't fix.
SHOOTER
Lucky.
ANGEL (O.C.)
It ain't luck. You gotta be damn
skilled to miss that good.
Angel stands in the doorway, a gun trained on Archie.
ANGEL (CONT'D)
I needed you alive to bring me
here.
ARCHIE
Why? You already have the List.
ANGEL
I've got a CD with a bunch of
gibberish.
(tosses it to Shooter)
Clever.
(to Archie)
But I wasn't looking for the List,
Archie.
EXT. DOWNTOWN - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
ACROSS THE STREET:
SHOOTER watches through his camera lens. As the men part
ways, he sets the camera down. Time to act.
As he heads off, REVEAL Angel beside him. She follows.
INT. PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Mandelbaum's BODYGUARD is lighting a cigarette, not paying
attention to his boss.
He looks up when he hears Mandelbaum go down with a THUMP.
The Bodyguard breaks into a run, but Angel pops out from
behind a support pillar, leveling with a haymaker.
Then she kicks him, before heading off.
EXT. LIBRARY TOWER - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Angel slips stealthily around the building. Her phone
vibrates-- "Job 1 complete. Having fun, yet?"
She quickly types a reply-- "Nah. Let's skip the second part
and pick up a pizza."
Angel reaches the top of a large staircase. At the bottom of
the stairs, she sees--
ARCHIE AND MANFRED.
Archie is holding his laptop. He ejects the CD and hands it
over to Manfred. They part ways, Manfred already pulling out
his lighter.
Angel stares, mouth agape. The Mook slowly emerges from the
shadows behind her...
INT. ARCHIE'S PLACE - DAY
Shooter looks from Angel to Archie. Archie whirls around to
face Shooter.
ARCHIE
You- You're not gonna believe her,
are you? She shot you!
ANGEL
(to Shooter)
I didn't if you were in with
Archie, like Drost was.
SHOOTER
And now?
ANGEL
I'm convinced.
ARCHIE
(indignant)
She's gone crazy. You see that,
right? She's stark raving bananas,
seeing conspiracies everywhere.
Shooter looks at his friend good and long, perhaps for the
first time.
SHOOTER
What's on your computer, Archie?
Archie looks back at him. Shit.
ARCHIE
Another bullshit file. Manfred
never had anything.
ANGEL
What's on that List? What was more
important than us?
ARCHIE
Does it matter?
He throws the computer at Shooter, and grabs a pistol from
under his desk in one swift motion.
Archie whirls and FIRES. Angel dives out of the way,
shooting back. Archie runs deeper into the apartment. Angel
goes to Shooter's side.
ANGEL
Are you-
SHOOTER
I'm fine! Get him. I'll grab the
computer.
Angel goes to the BEDROOM, only to find the window open. She
runs to it and-
BAM-BAM! She ducks out of the way.
OUTSIDE, Archie turns and runs.
Angel starts climbing out the window.
EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER
Flint stirs. WHAM!
Shooter punches him, then reaches inside to grab the
computer.
EXT. ALLEY BETWEEN BUILDINGS - MOMENTS LATER
Angel rounds the corner. She pulls up short seeing--
ARCHIE holding Shooter at gunpoint. Shooter still has the
computer.
ARCHIE
Drop the gun.
SHOOTER
Shoot him!
Angel looks back and forth between them. Archie narrows his
eyes, ready to kill Shooter.
Shooter meets her gaze. He closes his eyes, nods, ready for
the shot.
Angel raises her hands.
ANGEL
Okay, Archie.
Archie smiles, swinging the gun from Shooter to Angel.
Shooter DROPS the computer on Archie's foot!
Archie CRIES OUT.
Shooter dives to the ground. Angel aims, FIRES, blowing out
the back of Archie's head.
BLACK.
EPILOGUE
EXT. BEACH - SUNSET
Angel and Shooter lie on the sand. He's shuffling his deck
of cards, while she idly watches kites in the sky.
Above her swimsuit, we can see the scar on her chest. She
traces her fingers along his chest, pausing at his now-healed
scar.
He holds up a card. She smiles.
ANGEL
Yup.
And on that, we...
FADE OUT.